


The Wings of Reminisence

by MinamotoHierophant



Series: Mina's RP Auditions [3]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Mentioned Chrom (Fire Emblem), Mentioned Sumia (Fire Emblem) - Freeform, Morning Routines, Perfectionsim, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Reflection, Short One Shot, Unrequited Love, lil bit of angst, pegasus grooming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:54:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27665009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinamotoHierophant/pseuds/MinamotoHierophant
Summary: Cordelia goes through her morning routine of caring for Cassiopeia, her pegasus, and thinks about her past.
Series: Mina's RP Auditions [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022797
Kudos: 1





	The Wings of Reminisence

The palest blush of pink crested the sky as Cordelia made her way to the stables. It was early enough that all the other Shepherds should be asleep still. She preferred to get an early start on her day. If she could gain momentum with her simpler tasks, the more challenging ones she saved for later in the day felt easier. The dry autumn leaves crunched under her boots as she entered Cassiopeia’s stall. 

“Good morning,” she said, as she retrieved the items she would need from a nearby shelf. She heard a soft nicker in reply. “I know I’m a bit earlier than usual.” She gently patted Cassiopeia’s nose. “I couldn’t sleep, and my mind wandered to him.” With deft strokes, she rubbed the currycomb over her pegasus. “You know how it is. Whenever I think about him, I remember the first time we met.” The memory was tucked away in her mind, but never far from her thoughts. 

It had been not too long after she joined the pegasus knights. She had pushed herself slightly beyond her limits- not that she had a good understanding of them at the time- with a quick midnight training session before she had dawn sentry duty. She had managed through all that, but traveling from the library to the training grounds, she had collapsed from exhaustion. The next thing she remembered was strong arms lifting her. Her eyes had fluttered before finally opening to a man’s visage. 

His voice overflowed with concern for a woman he’d never met before. His earnest eyes and tousled hair combined with his exceptional physique almost made her faint again. Ever since that moment, he was the only man in her heart. Every time she saw him protecting those who couldn’t protect themselves, she fell for him all over again. 

Cassiopeia nudged her snout into Cordelia, bringing her back to reality. “I’m sorry, girl.” She patted her neck. “You’re right. I shouldn’t fantasize about things that will never happen.” She reached for the bush and began to pull it through Cassiopeia’s coat with short strokes. She knew that she would never be able to be with him, but not out of a lack of effort on her part. Cordelia knew her best friend cared about him.

She had known Sumia for almost as long as she could remember. They’d grown up together, dreaming of being pegasus knights together. During their adolescent years, they would share romance novels. There had never been another girl as dear to her as Sumia. And yet, when their paths diverged it was years before they’d see each other again. She had missed her terribly during her early years with the pegasus knights. Although she had Cassiopeia, the pegasus’ company could not replace her friendship with Sumia. It had been so lonely without her.

At that, Cordelia stretched to grab a plump carrot poking out from the pail of stable treats, promptly offering it to her mount. The carrot was gone almost instantaneously. She chuckled. “Still never one to pass up a treat, huh?” Cordelia affectionately rubbed her mount’s broad shoulders, where the wings met her body. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Cassiopeia. You’ve always been here for me, no matter what it was that bothered me.”

But her thoughts drifted back to Sumia. There were so many days where she seemed as fragile as the flowers she used for her fortunes. And yet, there was a steel to her that only showed itself in times of trial. Cordelia had seen the friendship he and Sumia shared and knew he would never express that kind of fondness for her. It pained her, but she would rather that Sumia be happy. 

A familiar stinging sensation bloomed in her eyes and her vision became misty. In her heart of hearts, she knew that he did not love her. She had come to that realization many moons ago. But the thought of her own happy ending like from her romance novels, despite how childish it seemed, was part of what had kept her going through the fog of hazing she experienced. The thought of her fallen comrades broke the dam, and two damnably perfect tears slid down her cheeks. The perfect veneer of a woman she placed on display couldn’t hide the sad and lonely girl behind it. She was reminded once more of why she let work rule her life; it was so she didn’t have to feel moments like these. Because in her core, she knew her practically perfect best would never be enough. Never enough to woo him, never enough to carry on the pegasus knight legacy. Never enough to be her non-perfect self.


End file.
